Group Therapy
by imnotclever
Summary: We don't heal in isolation, but in community-S. Kelley Harrell.
1. Chapter 1

He was late. Every week, without fail, he was late. It was almost like a silent protest, communicating to the group that he didn't really -want- to be there but came anyways. No one ever pointed out to him that no one was making him come every week, what good would that do? They all knew he needed the therapy as much as every other person there. Who cared if he was habitually late?

Want and need were two completely different things in Killian's mind. He didn't want to go and sit in that stupid circle every Thursday, listening to some therapist and other people talk about their problems. He did know that he needed it. That after the first two meetings he had his first dreamless night since Milah's murder, that he had his first day without a phantom limb pain. That he was starting to feel like he could relax again. **That **was why he went.

"Killian? Have anything you'd like to share tonight?" The therapist asked, snapping him out of his reverie.

Like every week he shook his head and mumbled a reply, "Uh…no." He said, taking to leaning forward, in an attempt to appear more interested in what was going on. Really, he only listened to the exercises the therapist gave them weekly, that was what helped him. Not listening to and sharing his own sob story.

"Aurora?" He heard the therapist ask, "Anything you would like to share?"

His eyes darted over to the brunette sitting a few seats away from him, watching as the girl sat up as straight as can be in her chair before she responded.

"I haven't had the dream in over a week," She said, her voice coming out like honey, "One part of me is glad that I'm able to sleep through the night again but the other part is devastated." She admitted, obviously trying to keep her voice from cracking.

"Why do you think it's devastating?" The therapist asked with that annoyingly soothing voice that all therapists seem to have.

"Because every night I got to relive our last moments together. Even if the dream always ends with…" Auroras voice hitched as Killian watched her stare off into space, knowing she was probably reliving the memory. Something he did all too often.

The therapist glanced up at the clock, "Alright I think that's it for tonight. Don't forget those exercises I gave you," Killian heard the therapist say over the sound of people getting up from their chairs. He sat in place, eyes focused on the girls as she brought herself back to the present, shaking her head and sticking her chin out regally. His eyes followed her as she stood up and gathered her things. Taking that as his cue to leave he stood up and made his way out into the night, pushing all thoughts of the girl out of his head, Killian had more important things on his plate (like the bottle of rum on his counter).

He was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't hear the footsteps and nearly jumped out of his skin at the tap on his shoulder. He turned around slowly, to find he was face to face with the sad girl he had been fixated on.

"Why are you always late?" The girl demanded, her eyebrow raised in emphasis.

The question made Killian laugh, "Ah, so my tardiness gets on your nerves, love?" He asked, amusement evident in his voice.

"You would like that, wouldn't you?" She responded, her lips turning up into an almost smile.

Killian smirked at the girl's response, so this one had fire in her as well. Interesting. "Maybe one day you'll find out what brings me in so late," He said after a moment, realizing there was something captivating about the fiery beauty in front of him.

Aurora's smile widened, "See you next week." She said, abruptly turning on her heel and heading off toward her car.

Killian chuckled to himself as he slipped into his car, she was an interesting one, that was certain.

That night was the first night in ages that he dreamt of something other than Milah. That night he dreamt of the fiery girl from group therapy.


	2. Chapter 2

Aurora was having the dream again. At the moment, she wasn't aware she was having the dream, she wouldn't be aware until she woke up screaming. Like she did every time. It was the same thing every time.

It was another day at work for Aurora, trying her hardest to focus on the task at hand and not the aching loneliness she felt with her fiance having been gone for a year, serving a tour of duty as an army medic. She glanced up from a table she was serving and, like something out of a movie, he was standing there.

"Phillip?" Aurora asked, not quite believing her eyes as she dropped the check holder to the floor, pushing her way to him and wrapping her arms around his shoulders, making sure he was real.

"I'm here," He murmured into her ear, arms snaking around her waist, holding her tight. He stepped back to look at her, hands on her shoulders, "I called your work and got you the rest of the evening off," he said, slipping his arm around her shoulder and kissing her temple, "Let's go." he said, waving over Aurora's shoulder to her boss as he ushered her outside.

Aurora, meanwhile, couldn't peel her eyes from her love, looking up at him adoringly, taking him in, kissing his cheek. "I've missed you." She murmured, pulling his face to hers and kissing him. Something she had been dreaming about doing for months. Once they had there fill of each other he ushered her to his car. Her heart dropping as she saw the woman in the back seat. She stopped and looked up at him questioningly.

"That's Mulan." he explained, "We saved each others lives on more than one occasion out there." He clarified. As if that was supposed to make things better, Aurora thought as she tried to ignore the pang of jealousy that settled deep in her gut. "You'll like her." He insisted as he helped Aurora into the passenger seat. What kind of name was Mulan anyways? She thought bitterly. Wasn't this supposed to be their night? What the hell was this girl doing here?

"Hello," Aurora said primly, turning around in her seat to greet the intruder with a small smile.

"Hello," Mulan returned, "Phillip has told me everything about you," Mulan said stiffly.

Aurora couldn't help smiling in spite of herself as Phillip drove off. Yes, this Mulan person was here but she got him back. He was back, he had returned to her. She reached over and took Phillips free hand, squeezing it and looking up at him. She felt him squeeze her hand in return, and everything felt right in her world. For the first time in a year, she could relax again. He was safe at home, with her. Aurora was too lost in her thoughts to really register what happened next. They came to a red light and, almost instantly, the door was ripped open and Phillip was being pulled out.

"Get out of the car!" The voice shouted at Phillip. Aurora watched as Phillip struggled against the guy, fighting to stay in the car. There was no time to react to what happened next, even though, to this very day, Aurora insisted time slowed down. The sound of the gun going off would be forever seared into her memory. She watched as her fiance slumped forward against the wheel as the intruder pulled Phillip's body out of the car. Aurora sat, frozen, unable to react as the man pushed the gun into her face, trying to force it into her mouth as he told her to get the fuck out of the car. She couldn't react. It wasn't until she heard her door open and felt hands reaching for her seat belt, tugging her out of the car that she was able to react. As the car drove off Mulan stood, emotionless, with her arms wrapped around Aurora's middle, both of them gasping as the horror on the other side of the car was revealed.

It was something out of anyone's worst nightmare. Aurora broke free from Mulan's grasp and moved toward Phillip, falling to her knees beside him and pulling his head up into her lap. "PHILLIP!" She choked out, stroking his face, begging him to come back to her. He couldn't be gone, he couldn't. "Phillip please…" She begged, starting to feel the blood soaking through her jeans. His blood.

"Aurora," Mulan said, her voice strained, trying to bring her back to the present. "Aurora he's gone. He's dead."

"NO!" She shouted through her tears at the woman, "No! He can't be! I just got him back! He just came back to me!" She shouted hysterically, eyes looking around frantically as the ambulance arrived.

"Look at me." Mulan said fiercely, bending down to Aurora's eye level, "Aurora look at me," She said trying the gentle approach this time, "The ambulance is here, let them take Phillip. We'll see him at the hospital."

After some coaxing Aurora nodded, releasing Phillip to the paramedics, standing up on shaky legs allowing Mulan to help her. She stood watching as the paramedics shut the doors behind Phillip's body, and that's when the screams began. The screams of acceptance, the acknowledgement that he was gone. Murdered. The screams were what woke her up.

Hoarse and crying Aurora sat up in her bed, her hand over her chest as she tried to calm her rapid heart beat. She could feel the panic setting in and desperately tried to remember one of the grounding exercises the therapist had taught her. She couldn't. She was too far gone, the panic had taken a hold of her and she almost welcomed it in some sick part of her brain as she allowed the sobs to overtake her.

Thursday. It was Thursday. Aurora thought dreamily as she came out of her panicked state feeling completely exhausted and emotionless. She could make it through the day and get to therapy. She'd feel better then, wouldn't she?

After going through the day in a fog, she walked into therapy and took her usual seat. She felt like a ghost of her former self but that was to be expected after the morning she had, right? She was so out of it that she didn't even register the amputee as he sat down next to her. On time.

"I do know how to show up places on time," Killian said, looking over at her, really seeing her for the first time that night. Shit she looked rough.

Aurora slowly turned her head, raising her eyebrows in order to feign some amount of surprise, "Make sure you put that on your resume." She said, her voice emotionless.

Killian smiled and scooted his chair over toward her, hand reaching into his coat and discreetly pulling out a flask, dropping it into her folded hands, "You look like you need it more than me." He offered.

Aurora looked down at the man's gift and managed the smallest of smiles, "Truly, you're a romantic." She returned, her voice slightly livelier than before.

He leaned in close to her and seductively whispered, "I aim to please."

With that, the therapist began their session. Aurora feeling a bit lighter than before, Killian starting to feel alive for the first time in months.

The flask burned white hot in Aurora's palms as she tried her best to conceal it from the therapist. What made it worse was that Killian just couldn't seem to take his eyes off of her and the flask, feel his eyes moving from her hands up to her face. It was irritating. What was he expecting her to do? Drink it right there? She weighed the question in her mind a moment before, as discreetly as possible, trying to bring the flask up to her lips.

Killian's eyes just about bulged out of his head as he watched what she was attempting to do, "You're gonna end up in a completely different type of group meeting if the therapist sees that." He whispered, reaching up to tug her hands away from her mouth. Honestly, had this girl never heard of discretion? He watched as a blush crept up onto her cheeks and rolled his eyes, "Save it for after," He whispered before shifting his attention back toward the middle of the circle.

Aurora's eyes remained on him a moment longer before turning her attention back to the group, the melancholy from earlier slowly sinking in again. Even when the therapist asked if she had anything she'd like to share she merely shook her head, not wanting to relive the horrors from the night before. Shortly after, the meeting was dismissed and they were all heading out into the night, Aurora with her coat tight around her and Killian a few steps behind.

"Nothing to contribute tonight?" Killian asked, catching up to the girl and matching her stride.

Aurora sighed in response and shook her head, "For someone who keeps his mouth shut in therapy you sure have a lot to say to me." She said, her voice betraying her annoyance.

The man laughed in response, so he was getting to her and he liked it. "Come, have a drink with me." he said, already trying to steer Aurora toward his car.

She wiggled out from his grip and shook her head, lifting up the flask he had given to her, "You know, I would, but someone already gave me something to drink." She said, shaking it in front of his face, "Sorry," She said unapologetically as she walked backwards toward her car, a look of triumph on her face.

"You don't play fair, love." Killian said with a smile, ready to admit defeat, for the moment at least. "Go home, enjoy your rum and maybe next week I'll take you out for a proper drink."

Aurora laughed a little, running her hand through her hair, "Maybe, don't get too excited, though." She said, hugging the flask to her chest as she backed up, looking down as she walked careful not to run into anything.

"Take care of that, lots of sentimental value." Killian warned, opening the door to his car, "See you next week, you bring that back." He said, pointing to the flask she kept clutched to her chest.

Aurora shrugged noncommittally before finally turning on her heel and getting into her car, shutting the door and sighing before setting the flask on the passenger seat, carefully placing her purse on top of it. She smiled in spite of herself, feeling the darkness from that morning finally releasing its grip on her as she backed out of the spot and drove off.

Killian remained in the parking lot, watching as Aurora made her way into her car, before heading to his own, trying to keep off the nagging feeling of guilt he felt. Guilt? Why the hell was he feeling guilty? As if in response to his unasked question, thoughts of Milah flooded his memory. So it was going to be one of -those- nights.


End file.
